Coronavirus Disease-2019 Infection-Associated Glomerular Diseases

Abstract

Background
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus pandemic of 2019 (coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-
19)) has led to unimaginable global deaths and serious morbidities among survivors. From a renal perspective, COVID-19
was also reported to be complicated by glomerular diseases. We herein present a systematic review of the distributive pattern of
glomerular diseases (GNs) reported in association with COVID-19 infection.
Methods
We searched National Library of Medicine’s (NLM), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) and the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) COVID-19 database for case reports, case series, and observational studies that reported GNs associated with COVID-19
infection. Two reviewers independently extracted relevant data. The current study was registered with Research Registry #1736
on November 20, 2023.
Results
Of the 1261 articles identified, fifty-eight articles pertained to COVID-19 infection-related GNs. One hundred sixty-two de novo
GN cases were claimed to be related to the COVID-19 infection. Among these, the top 3 were focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
(focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), 90 out of 162, 55.6%), antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated
GN (34 out of 162, 21.0%), and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), including thrombotic thrombocytopenic
purpura, hemolytic uremic syndrome, or not specified) (both with 12 out of 162, 7.4%). In comparison, excluding
diabetic kidney disease, the top 3 GNs globally in the pre-COVID era were FSGS (17.4%), IgAN (16.5%), and membranous
nephropathy (MN) (12.1%).
Conclusion
Although most commonly reported, FSGS was not the only GN associated with COVID-19. The distributive pattern of GNs
reported to be associated with COVID-19 infection differed significantly compared with that in the pre-COVID era. This difference
may lend support to COVID-19 related effects on the most commonly reported GNs.